Method of making knitted fabric with sponge effect on circular machines for knitwear and hosiery and manufactured article produced using this method

ABSTRACT

A method for making sponge-effect knitted fabric using needles on the roll of a circular machine for hosiery or knitwear which uses a skipped needle knitted fabric making procedure to selectively work an elastic or stretch thread and a non-elastic thread together or the one separately from the other. A manufactured product is also obtained with one or more designed parts made up of sponge-effect fabric of piles or loops in relief formed by selectively working one or the other of the two starting threads.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to the sector of circular machines for knitwear and hosiery and refers especially to a new method of knitting on such machines for obtaining a knitted fabric with sponge effect.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] In the field of circular machines for knitwear and hosiery, the formation is well known of plain or figured sponge knitted fabric according to design with an effect of its own deriving from the presence of piles or loops of fabric protruding from the jersey base knit. The sponge fabric consists of two bonded threads, one ground thread and one pile thread, where this second thread is worked to form fabric plies or loops extended with respect to the stitches of the base fabric.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0003] One aim of this present invention is to present a knitting method and machine that permits the manufacture of a sponge-effect figured knit without however following the manufacturing procedure of traditional sponge knits.

[0004] Another aim of the invention is to provide the manufacture of knitted products comprising sponge-effect knitted fabric parts, without these being of sponge, that show decorative motifs and designs that enhance the obtained articles.

[0005] In accordance with the invention these aims and objects are attained, by following a knitting manufacturing procedure with so-called needle skip and selectively working an elastic or stretch thread and a non-elastic thread together or separately.

[0006] Using the proposed method, the construction of the desired knit is achieved by feeding an elastic thread A and a non-elastic knitting thread B, which can be made of natural, man-made or mixed fibers, to the needles on the feed roll of a knitting machine or similar.

[0007] The working needles may be selected so at least one needle takes up all the fed elastic and non-elastic threads and one or more other skipped needles take up just one thread, thus forming jersey fabric parts and relief sponge-effect fabric parts with piles or loops.

[0008] The skipped needles may selectively take up the elastic thread or the non-elastic thread.

[0009] According to another aspect of the invention, manufactured products obtained using the method of the invention, which products present one or more designed parts made up of sponge-effect fabric consisting of piles or loops in relief formed by selectively working one or the other of two starting threads.

[0010] The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] In the drawings:

[0012] The only FIGURE is a view of stitches or flat jersey fabric parts formed according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention provides a method for the construction of a desired knit achieved by feeding an elastic thread A and a non-elastic knitting thread B, which can be made of natural, man-made or mixed fibers, to the needles on the feed roll of a knitting machine or similar. During formation of each sponge-effect figured part, the working needles are suitably selected so at least one needle takes up both threads A and B and one or more other skipped needles take up just one thread as shown in the only FIGURE. Stitches or flat jersey R fabric parts are thus formed where the needles have taken up and worked the two threads A and B at the same time and stitches or parts of sponge effect fabric S are formed where the skipped needles, having worked just one thread, form piles, rings or loops in relief.

[0014] By selectively reversing the feed positions of elastic thread A and non-elastic thread B, diversified sponge-effect designs can also be achieved on the same product, as required. On being released the fabric shows parts in relief with respect to others because the elastic thread produces the formation of piles, rings or loops extended with the non-elastic thread.

[0015] Correspondently, each product made using the invention method has fabric parts formed of piles, rings or loops consisting of a single thread intercalated with fabric parts consisting of fabric stitches made with all the fed threads, and all this produces a very nice and attractive aesthetic effect, with a sponge effect in the fabric parts that are in relief with respect to the remaining flat or jersey parts.

[0016] Finally, it should be noted that the same result can be obtained with the same needle selection and thread machining procedure, but starting from threads of different kind and/or color thereby creating different color areas in the fabric.

[0017] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for making a sponge-effect knitted fabric with needles on a feed roll of a circular machine for hosiery or knitwear, the method comprising the steps of: using a knitted fabric making process with needle skip; working selectively an elastic or stretch thread and a non-elastic thread together or working selectively the elastic or stretch thread and the non-elastic thread one separate from the other.
 2. A method according to claim 1, whereby the working needles are selected so at least one needle takes up all the fed elastic and non-elastic threads and one or more other skipped needles take up just one thread thereby forming jersey fabric parts and relief sponge-effect fabric parts with piles or loops.
 3. A method according to claim 2, whereby the skipped needles selectively take up the elastic thread or the non-elastic thread.
 4. A manufactured product obtained using the method comprising the steps of: using a knitted fabric making process with needle skip; working selectively an elastic or stretch thread and a non-elastic thread together or working selectively the elastic or stretch thread and the non-elastic thread one separate from the other to provide one or more designed parts made up of sponge-effect fabric consisting of piles or loops in relief formed by selectively working one or the other of the two starting threads. 